The Independent National Electoral Commission has stated its position on who the candidate of the All Progressives Congress is for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District between a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Udom Ekpoudom.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, stated the position in a chat with Daily Trust.
It will be recalled that a day after Akpabio stepped down for a National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the party’s presidential primaries, he returned home to Ikot Ekpene and was declared the winner of the rerun senatorial poll allegedly ordered by the national leadership.
The State Chairman of the APC, Stephen Ntukekpo, said he was directed by the party at the national level to carry out a rerun over alleged infractions.
According to the result of the rerun senatorial primary election, Akapbio emerged winner with 478 votes, while Ekpoudom, who won the initial primaries, secured just three votes.
But speaking with Daily Trust in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Sunday, Igini said the commission would only recognise the winner of the primaries monitored by its officials.
He denied the claim that the commission monitored the rerun APC senatorial primaries, where Akpabio emerged winner.
He said: “The primaries was concluded on the 27th of last month, so I don’t know what you are talking about.
“The one that was conducted was monitored by INEC and the report has been submitted to Abuja.
“INEC is not aware of any senatorial primaries conducted on Thursday (June 9) that was monitored by INEC, none.”
The REC also affirmed that the APC has no governorship candidate in the state, saying the governorship primary where Akanimo Udofia emerged winner was not monitored by INEC.